First Gulf Bank gets BSI Health and Safety Certification award

ABU DHABI / Emirates Business

FGB, one of the leading banks in the UAE, has received the BS OHSAS 18001 Health & Safety Certification by BSI Middle East and Africa. This makes FGB the first bank in the MENA region to have this title, which recognises its ongoing efforts to ensure occupational health and safety in its business environment. The certification was awarded to the bank by UK ambassador to the UAE, Philip Parham.
In 2013, FGB began implementing its plan of ensuring the highest standards for health and safety at the workplace, in line with international best practices, which led to a senior management decision to adopt an Occupational Health and Safety Management System. Efforts by the bank were made to ensure a safe and secure workplace, free of occupational injuries, hazards and illness for everyone visiting or working at FGB, including employees, customers, stakeholders, and contractors. Approximately 51 employees participated in implementing the standards bank-wide and over 400 employees were trained in various health and safety related topics. Furthermore, multiple awareness programmes were launched for employees as part of the initiative.
André Sayegh, Chief Executive Officer of FGB, commented: “Taking care of our customers begins by taking care of our people. That is precisely the reason we initiated our Occupational Health and Safety Management System three years ago, as we value the safety of our employees, and are always working towards providing them with a positive work environment. This certification is affirmation that FGB has adopted and complied with the highest known management standards for health and safety in the workplace. It confirms that FGB is living up to its mission and core values of growing together to be first.”
British Ambassador to the UAE, Philip Parham, said: “This certificate recognizes the efforts undertaken by FGB to ensure that their employees and customers are protected and that they are a setting a benchmark within the banking and financial sector, not only in the Middle East and Africa, but as a global sector leader. Such certification underscores FGB’s professionalism. I offer my congratulations to FGB on this achievement”.
BS OHSAS 18001: 2007, also known as the Occupational Health & Safety Standard, is the highest known management standard across the globe for workplace health and safety. This standard sets the industry best practice in the domain. Some of the multinational organisations certified include HSBC, Google, and Wipro.